J.D. – 3 3/4 Years Old

You’ve recently let us know that you prefer to be called J.D. (not JohnnyD or John or any other variation.) We love you. You continue to have such a sweet spirit. You also continue to be so full of what sometimes seems like nonstop energy. You’re trying hard to obey these days, and we’re so proud of you. You are better able to explain to us what’s going on in that always working brain of yours, so sometimes we better understand your thought process. (And sometimes we don’t, so grace.) Here are some JDisms that I want to remember from these past three months.

An older friend told you a story about the Central Park Troll. You were getting scared, so I let you know it was just pretend. You said, “Phew! I’m so glad it’s just pretend. I was really scared about that troll!”

“flingshot” for flu shot

You heard me telling someone that Grayson had hand foot mouth. You said, “Wait, so someone put their hand and foot in Grayson’s mouth?!”

You still jump (or sometimes fall) from very high things. We went to urgent care twice and the ER once. One time you “sifted” your finger in TJ Maxx and the other time you fell head first from a hand rail you were climbing over as I was urging you to get down. That one landed us in the ER with a CT scan. Fortunately, your brain looked great (no bleeding – praise God!)

You are really helpful and are starting to clean up around the house without being asked. One day, I was cleaning up and you said, “What can I do to help around here?”

I don’t remember the content, but it was a simple joy we were experiencing, and you said, “Ahh, this is the life!”

Oh, another time. Similar – we were eating outside and you said, “Isn’t this a lovely night? This is the life – eating outside!” I love your gratitude for and appreciation of the simple joys in life.

One of my absolute favorite quotes was a time when Big Dad was visiting, and we were all watching baseball on the pullout couch. Your dad told Fairley, “You’re sitting between two men who love you very much, do you know that?” And you quickly responded, “You mean THREE men!”

There’s an announcement that comes over the intercom in the subway explaining that police officers can check bags for anything that’s not safe. You asked about it, and I just explained it that way. Then you asked, “What would be unsafe?” so I asked you the same question. You said, “I dunno, maybe a crab with sharp claws or something like that.” “Yup, that would be unsafe,” I answered.

You love riding the Cozy Coupe car at choir. You rode it out of the room, and I told you you needed to drive it back where it belonged. Two of the rooms are in a circular fashion, so you just kept making the circle and saying, “Ok, I will, after I finish circling the block.”

One morning at Sunday breakfast, where we talk about what we’re thankful for, you kept repeating you were really thankful for mine and Daddy’s wedding rings. It just gave me a sense of how important it is for you guys to feel secure that your daddy and I will always love one another (which we will, thanks to God’s grace).

You love playing the drums in your room (sticks and a pillow), super heroes (every person in our family has a different super hero name), a new rocket ship toy, still love cars and “driving,” running, jumping, climbing, board games and reading.

On our way from Houston to GiGi and Big Dad’s, you told Uncle David, “Just look for the garage with the blue bike in it.”

You told Big Dad you love him, and GiGi said, “I love you, GiGi” to get you to remember to share the love. You said, “She’s talking to herself now.”

You said you couldn’t wait to swim in the pool. I told you it would be too cold. Then you said, “Maybe I could ice skate on it then?”

GiGi said, “Time to hit the road, Jack!” And you said, “You’re going to slap the road?” Then you got out of the car when we arrived at the restaurant and hit the ground.

You weigh about 35 pounds and are 38.5 inches tall (as of the end of September.)

Oh – and you learned to read! You can decode CVC words now, and we are SO proud of you!